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A review by deaddolphins
Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Honestly, I went into this book with pretty high expectations, given its promising premise, but I walked away feeling underwhelmed. It wasn’t a complete disaster—there were some redeeming qualities—but the flaws were hard to ignore. The setup was undeniably charming, with the potential for a heartfelt, meaningful romance. However, the execution left a lot to be desired.
One of my biggest issues was with Alex's reaction to Annie. The way his thoughts were portrayed during Annie’s vulnerable moments, particularly when she was reacting to the trauma of her abuse, felt deeply inappropriate and overly romanticized. It’s hard to believe that anyone, let alone someone positioned as the hero of the story, would be so focused on her physical appearance in such a context. This not only disrupted the emotional authenticity of the scene but also felt insensitive, trivializing her trauma for the sake of forced romantic tension. It’s a misstep that made it difficult to fully invest in Alex as a character, despite his otherwise likable traits.
Then there’s Annie herself. While the narrative attempts to paint her as someone who’s been belittled and underestimated her whole life, her characterization veers too far into childishness. Rather than evoking sympathy, her behavior often felt immature to the point of discomfort, which undermined the romantic dynamic. Instead of rooting for their connection, I found myself questioning the appropriateness of it. The moments that were clearly intended to be quirky and endearing—like the egg subplot and the dollhouse—just came off as bizarre and unsettling. These elements detracted from the emotional depth the story was aiming for and instead added an odd, almost surreal layer that didn’t fit with the more serious undertones of Annie’s backstory.
That said, the book isn’t without its merits. Alex, despite the aforementioned issues, had his moments where he genuinely shined as a character. His kindness and patience in certain scenes did make him feel like solid “husband material,” and it’s clear the author was striving to create a safe, supportive partner for Annie (and we cheer that!) But even his good qualities couldn’t fully compensate for the larger narrative issues.
Ultimately, the book had a lot of potential, but the mishandling of sensitive topics, combined with inconsistent character development, left me disappointed. With a more thoughtful approach to the characters’ emotional journeys and a better balance between quirkiness and realism, this could have been a much stronger story.
One of my biggest issues was with Alex's reaction to Annie. The way his thoughts were portrayed during Annie’s vulnerable moments, particularly when she was reacting to the trauma of her abuse, felt deeply inappropriate and overly romanticized. It’s hard to believe that anyone, let alone someone positioned as the hero of the story, would be so focused on her physical appearance in such a context. This not only disrupted the emotional authenticity of the scene but also felt insensitive, trivializing her trauma for the sake of forced romantic tension. It’s a misstep that made it difficult to fully invest in Alex as a character, despite his otherwise likable traits.
Then there’s Annie herself. While the narrative attempts to paint her as someone who’s been belittled and underestimated her whole life, her characterization veers too far into childishness. Rather than evoking sympathy, her behavior often felt immature to the point of discomfort, which undermined the romantic dynamic. Instead of rooting for their connection, I found myself questioning the appropriateness of it. The moments that were clearly intended to be quirky and endearing—like the egg subplot and the dollhouse—just came off as bizarre and unsettling. These elements detracted from the emotional depth the story was aiming for and instead added an odd, almost surreal layer that didn’t fit with the more serious undertones of Annie’s backstory.
That said, the book isn’t without its merits. Alex, despite the aforementioned issues, had his moments where he genuinely shined as a character. His kindness and patience in certain scenes did make him feel like solid “husband material,” and it’s clear the author was striving to create a safe, supportive partner for Annie (and we cheer that!) But even his good qualities couldn’t fully compensate for the larger narrative issues.
Ultimately, the book had a lot of potential, but the mishandling of sensitive topics, combined with inconsistent character development, left me disappointed. With a more thoughtful approach to the characters’ emotional journeys and a better balance between quirkiness and realism, this could have been a much stronger story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape